What Can Sport Psychology Help With? Part 2: Mindfulness
This blog is for informational and educational purposes only and does not replace professional or medical advice. Meghan is a Registered Psychologist offering in-person sport psychology services in Calgary and virtual services across Alberta, Canada.
Sport psychology focuses on the mental side of performance. A big part of the work involves helping athletes and performers build tools that support their performance under pressure. These tools help with things like managing nerves, regulating emotions, staying focused, building confidence, and increasing self-awareness.
For example, let’s say an athlete feels overly nervous before a game, and it’s impacting their ability to perform. Through sport psychology, they learn to recognize when their nerves are getting too intense and apply strategies like breathing exercises or self-talk to calm their system and stay focused.
One powerful mental tool? Mindfulness.
Mindfulness is about paying attention—on purpose—to the present moment. It means noticing what’s happening right now, without judgment, and gently bringing your focus back when your mind drifts.
Here’s what that could look like for an athlete:
You’re walking onto the soccer field. You notice how your cleats feel pressing into the grass. You feel the sun on your skin and catch the smell of fresh-cut grass. You feel butterflies in your stomach—but instead of trying to push them away, you remind yourself: this means you're ready.
That moment of grounded awareness? That’s mindfulness in action.
Why does mindfulness matter for athletes?
Research has shown that mindfulness can help athletes:
· Sharpen focus and concentration (Jones & Smith, 2019)
· Reduce anxiety and stress before or during competition (Mehrsafar et al., 2019)
· Build emotional resilience under pressure (Zhang et al., 2025)
· Increase self-awareness and compassion (Birrer et al., 2012)
· Recover more effectively from mistakes or setbacks (Baltzell & Akhtar, 2014)
What mindfulness isn’t:
A common myth is that mindfulness means having a totally empty mind. But that’s not realistic—our brains are constantly thinking. The skill isn't to stop thoughts altogether, but to notice where your attention is going and guide it back to something helpful.
For example:
If you’re focused on “I have to win this game” or “What if I mess up?”—your attention is in the future. That future-focused thinking often ramps up anxiety and pulls you away from the actions that support success—like staying in position, scanning the field, or executing a play.
Mindfulness helps you catch when your mind drifts and bring it back to the now—so you can focus on what matters in the moment.
How can you practice mindfulness?
Like any skill, it takes practice. Here are a couple of simple ways to get started:
1. Guided exercises
Try a short breathing or body scan video on the Calm YouTube channel or any mindfulness app. Just 5 minutes can make a difference.
2. The 5–4–3–2–1 grounding technique. This helps you connect to your senses:
5 things you can see
4 things you can feel (like your feet on the ground)
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste
Final Thoughts
Mindfulness isn’t about being calm all the time. It’s about learning to notice what’s happening in your mind and body—and choosing where to focus your attention. For athletes and high performers, that’s a superpower. If you're in Alberta and want to work with a sport psychologist to sharpen your mental skills, reach out for a free consultation. Your next level of performance starts here!
References
Baltzell, A., & Akhtar, V. L. (2014). Mindfulness meditation training for sport (MMTS). Journal of Clinical Sport Psychology, 8(3), 197–210.
Birrer, D., Röthlin, P., & Morgan, G. (2012). Mindfulness to enhance athletic performance: Theoretical considerations and possible impact mechanisms. Mindfulness, 3(3), 235–246.
Jones, A., & Smith, B. (2019). The Effects of Mindfulness Training on Collegiate Athletes' Focus and Attentional Control: A Pre-Post Intervention Study. Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 31(2), 214-228.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living: Using the wisdom of your mind to face stress, pain, and illness. Dell.
Mehrsafar, A. H., et al. (2019). The effects of mindfulness training on competition-induced anxiety and salivary stress markers in elite Wushu athletes: A pilot study. Physiology & Behavior, 210, 112655.
Zhang, J., et al. (2025). The effect of mindfulness training on the psychological state of high-level athletes: Meta analysis and system evaluation research. Journal of Sports Sciences, 43(6), 600–622.
